Plan commissioner sides with neighbors on Skillman-Oram rezoning

The request to rezone the property on the northeast corner of Skillman and Oram recently was “denied with prejudice,” ending the surrounding neighbors’ concerns and months of speculation of what Stonelake might do with the building.

Stonelake Capital Partners requested, because of neighborhood opposition to their zoning change application, they be allowed to withdraw their application altogether, says City Plan Commissioner Paul Ridley.

However, the City Plan Commission would not allow Stonelake Capital Partners to withdraw their application because it was too close to the public hearing date and had already been advertised, Ridley says.

Instead, the Austin-based investment firm requested their application be denied without prejudice, which would allow them to submit another application at a later date, he said.

Ridley, though, supported the neighborhood residents’ position and made a motion to deny Stonelake’s application with prejudice, which bars Stonelake from reapplying for a period of two years, he says. The City Plan Commission unanimously approved the motion.

Ridley says he believes the issue is permanently resolved unless Stonelake wants to appeal the denial to the Dallas City Council.

Stonelake also owns a grass field a couple blocks west of the triangle, on the east side of Mecca (the street, not the restaurant) between Lewis and La Vista. It had asked the city to rezone the land and allow for a parking lot there, but later withdrew the request.

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